Pineapplefish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pineapplefish |
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| Cleidopus gloriamaris at Monaco Aquarium | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Trachichthyiformes |
| Family: | Monocentridae |
| Genus: | Cleidopus De Vis, 1882 |
| Species: |
C. gloriamaris
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| Binomial name | |
| Cleidopus gloriamaris De Vis, 1882
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The pineapplefish (Cleidopus gloriamaris) is a fascinating deep-sea creature. It's also known as the mailfish, the knightfish, or the coat-of-mail fish. These names come from its unique body, which is covered in tough, armor-like scales. Another cool nickname is the "port-and-starboard light fish." This is because it has two special glowing spots that look like the navigation lights on a ship!
Its scientific name, Cleidopus gloriamaris, comes from Latin words. Gloria means "glory," and maris means "of the sea." So, it's truly the "glory of the sea"!
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Where Do Pineapplefish Live?
The pineapplefish calls the coastal waters of Australia home. You can find them off the shores of Queensland, New South Wales, and Western Australia. They live in deeper waters, usually between 6 and 200 meters (about 20 to 650 feet) deep. They like to hang out in reefs and harbors, where they can find places to hide.
What Does a Pineapplefish Look Like?
Pineapplefish can grow up to 22 centimeters (about 8.7 inches) long. They have a round, plump body that looks almost completely covered in large, rough scales. Each scale has a sharp spine pointing backward, making them look like a walking suit of armor!
Their head is quite large and also covered in heavy bone, like a helmet. They have a blunt snout and a wide mouth. Inside their mouth, they have tiny, thin teeth.
The Pineapplefish's Amazing Lights
One of the most amazing features of the pineapplefish is its lights! They have two special glowing spots, called photophores, on their lower jaw near the corners of their mouth. These lights are hidden when the fish closes its mouth. When young, these lights glow green, but as the fish gets older, they turn more red.
Fins and Colors
The pineapplefish has several fins. Its first dorsal fin has 5 to 7 strong spines that stick out. Its pelvic fins each have a very large spine, almost as long as its head! This spine can even lock into place at a right angle to its body.
The scales of the pineapplefish are usually yellow or whitish with black edges. This creates a striking pattern that looks a lot like a pineapple, which is how it got its common name! Its lips, chin, and parts of its jaw are black, and there's a red stripe on its lower jaw leading to its light organs.
How Pineapplefish Live and Behave
Because of its small fins and stiff armor, the pineapplefish isn't a very fast swimmer. It's a nocturnal animal, meaning it's most active at night. During the day, you'll often find it hiding inside caves or under rocky ledges.
Nighttime Hunters
When night falls, the pineapplefish ventures out onto sandy areas to find food. It uses its special light organs to illuminate small shrimp, making them easier to spot and catch. These lights might also help pineapplefish communicate with each other in the dark ocean depths.
The light isn't made by the fish itself. Instead, tiny living things called symbiotic bacteria, specifically Vibrio fischeri, live inside the fish's light organs and produce the glow. These bacteria can also be found freely in the seawater.
Long-Lived Fish
Pineapplefish can live for a long time! Some have been known to live up to 10 years in aquariums. In places like the Fly Point Halifax Park Aquatic Preserve in New South Wales, scientists have observed groups of pineapplefish living under the same ledges for many years.
Pineapplefish and People
For a while after it was first discovered, the pineapplefish was quite a mystery. It lives in deep water and is very shy, so people only knew about it from specimens that storms washed ashore.
Today, pineapplefish are sometimes caught by commercial trawlers, though they aren't specifically targeted for fishing. They are also popular with people who keep saltwater fish aquariums. They are quite hardy, but they need rocky hiding spots and live food to thrive in captivity.
See also
In Spanish: Pez piña para niños
